The United States is six months into a new administration in Washington, D.C. Does this bode well or ill for people of faith?
Timothy Goeglein, vice-president for External Relations at Focus on the Family in Washington, D.C., addressed religious liberty issues in the U.S. with host Kip Allen during July’s “Free to be Faithful” program on Worldwide KFUO.
The program covered the current state of affairs and what it portends for Lutherans and other people of faith.
Goeglein and Allen discussed Vice President Mike Pence speaking to Focus on the Family, the fate of Obamacare and why it’s bad for people of faith, important issues before the Supreme Court, the impact of transgenderism on the military, and the overall tone in D.C.
About ‘Free to be Faithful’
“Free to be Faithful” is a religious liberty, awareness, and education program created by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in response to increasing governmental incursions into religious life.
Kip Allen leads “Free to be Faithful” discussions on KFUO.org on the third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Central time.
About Goeglein
A lifelong LCMS Lutheran, Tim Goeglein previously served as a special assistant to President George W. Bush and as press secretary to U.S. Sen. Dan Coats. He also is the author of The Man in the Middle: Faith and Politics in the George W. Bush Era.
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I don’t dispute that there are some concerns with healthcare policy, its connection to abortions, and religious freedoms, but could someone help me understand Mr. Goeglein’s assertions that HSAs indirectly subsidize abortion or constitute an insurance subsidy?
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is simply a way to save and pay for qualifying personal or family medical expenses tax-free. Employers have the option to make contributions to an employee’s HSA if they so choose, but they are under no obligation to do so. The government does not make contributions to these accounts (unless they happen to contribute as an employer as described previously, which would be considered part of the employee’s compensation package, not a subsidy).
In any case, no one is forced to open or fund an HSA. The account holder has the freedom to spend the account funds on any qualifying medical expenses of his or her choosing, or even withdraw the money after paying taxes and any applicable penalties. The government does not force anyone to use these funds to pay for abortions (or even force them to be applied to insurance premiums). I am unclear on how HSAs, which can be great savings tools for individuals for whom an HDHP makes sense, could be construed as an abortion or insurance subsidy.
Excellent show! Thanks for sharing it with us.